COLA survey approval helps provide for overseas costs

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chase Hedrick
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Airmen assigned to Incirlik AB and geographically separated units in Turkey should expect to see a slight increase in their pay to help alleviate the increased cost of some goods compared to similar products in the U.S.

Voting members of the Military Advisory Panel approved the results of Cost of Living Allowance surveys for service members in Turkey Aug. 20, raising the COLA index in Ankara to 112 and all other locations to 104.

"An index of 104 at an overseas location means that it is 4 percent more expensive to purchase COLA-types of goods and services than in average CONUS locations," said Master Sgt. Melody Jackson, 39th Comptroller Squadron financial services flight chief.

COLA goods and services range from items such as food, clothing and toiletries to sporting equipment, dry cleaning and certain fees. To help service members and families purchase these items and services overseas on a state side paycheck, an allowance adjusted for price differences and currency exchange rates is added, she said.

To help assess the appropriate allowance, first sergeants from different organizations found volunteers who gathered pricing information for the wide variety of items and services that COLA provides for, Jackson said.

"Our first sergeant came to me knowing that I go downtown and am out and about in the community a lot," said Victoria Jones, 39th Medical Operations Squadron secretary. "He asked if I would be interested, and I said, 'sure why not?' Plus, I was interested in seeing what the price differences were."

Jackson added that while COLA is not meant to completely cover cost differences, it is intended to help offset the cost of living overseas.

"The folks on base really need to thank the seven volunteers we had at Incirlik. They went out into the local community, they went to the malls, they went to the stores, they even made sure to include how much it costs to get our vehicles registered," she said. "They got information on things that weren't considered before, so that's why it's increasing."

Airmen should see the COLA addition to their leave and earning statement beginning Sept. 15, 2013.